Fairy Tail Guild · Main Entrance
The light from the portal gradually faded, like receding waves.
Everyone appeared before the Guild's main entrance, where the wooden signboard cast a warm shadow in the sunlight, its carved fairy pattern so lifelike it seemed to wink at them.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail!" Natsu exclaimed, spreading his arms, his smile as bright as the midday sun.
Behind him, the Guild's main doors suddenly burst open, and several brawling members tumbled out in a heap, causing a burst of laughter.
Natsu spotted the person who had given him the wrong information among them, immediately dropped the fake Fire Dragon to the ground, and joined the scuffle with a flying kick.
"You jerk, there was no Fire Dragon! What kind of bogus information did you give me?!"
Ezreal shook his head with a helpless smile, a flash of white light in his hand, and the unconscious fake Fire Dragon on the ground was absorbed into Summoners Rift.
He had already recognized this guy as Bora, the notorious Mage from the original story who was expelled by the legitimate Guild "Titan's Nose" at the beginning.
He just hadn't expected this guy to still be involved in human trafficking, just like in the original, and to be stumbled upon by Natsu again.
Ezreal tilted his head, looking at Lucy, then at Natsu brawling in the distance, and couldn't help but sigh at the strange sense of destiny.
For some reason, Ezreal smiled. He gently patted Lucy's shoulder, then pushed open the Guild doors.
"Come in."
Lucy nodded, looking up at the lively place, the light in her eyes brighter than the stars.
A gentle breeze blew, bringing the familiar sounds of the Guild—the clinking of glasses, the crackle of magic, and a chorus of laughter and playful curses.
"Finally..." she murmured softly, her voice drowned out by a sudden cheer.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her, as if dressing her in a gown woven from starlight.
"I'm here."
Standing at the entrance of the Fairy Tail Guild, sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting dappled patterns on the wooden floor.
She took a deep breath, inhaling the warm scent of wood, beer, and sunshine.
"Don't be nervous," Ezreal said with a gentle smile. "Everyone is looking forward to seeing you. Levy-chan and the others were just talking about you the other day, saying it was about time you arrived."
Beyond the heavy oak doors, a spacious hall came into view.
Sunlight poured in from high skylights, illuminating the request boards and photos adorning the walls.
Several wooden round tables were casually arranged, with Mages sitting around some of them, drinking and chatting.
As Lucy was taking in her surroundings, a blue-haired girl with glasses came running up with quick, short steps.
Before Lucy could react, the girl's figure leaped into her arms.
"Lucy! You really came!" Levy-chan hugged her tightly, her blue pigtails swaying with excitement. "I was just thinking about going to pick you up with Jet and Droy!"
"Levy-chan!" Lucy exclaimed with delight, hugging the girl back and spinning her around twice before gently setting the blue-haired girl with glasses down.
The feeling of meeting familiar faces in a foreign land made her feel especially close.
The initial sense of unfamiliarity upon arriving at the Fairy Tail Guild immediately dissipated by more than half.
Droy and Jet also pushed their way through the crowd.
Droy, with his signature bean sprout hairstyle, was holding a half-eaten piece of cake.
Jet, wearing his perpetually unremoved cowboy hat, stood coolly to the side.
"Welcome to Fairy Tail," Jet said, pushing up his hat brim. "Ready for a life of adventure?"
Droy, his mouth full of cake, mumbled, "Our Guild is the best!"
The other members of the Guild also gathered around.
Natsu and Happy appeared from somewhere, and Natsu, having finished his fight, emerged from somewhere holding a large piece of roasted meat: "Newcomer! Try the meat Gray roasted! Even though he's an exhibitionist, his roasting skills are impeccable! Second only to mine!"
"Who are you calling an exhibitionist?" Gray walked over shirtless, holding an ice cream.
Cana, who was nearby, kicked Gray flying and casually picked up the clothes on the ground, throwing them to him, "Put your clothes on!"
Lucy glanced at Gray, who was embedded in the wall, then looked at the two-pound piece of roasted meat in her hand, her mouth twitching. "Thanks, but do I look like I can eat that much?"
Erza walked over in casual clothes, her red hair tied into a neat ponytail at the back of her head.
She handed Lucy a glass of juice: "Welcome, Lucy. If you have any questions, you can always ask me."
Mira poked her head out from behind the bar, smiling gently: "Lunch will be ready soon, Lucy, is there anything special you'd like to eat?"
Upon seeing Mira, Lucy's eyes sparkled. "Wow, Miss Mira, you're even more beautiful in person than in your photos!"
Mira covered her face, laughing shyly, "Oh, it's not that big a deal."
As they spoke, Makarov's small figure descended from the second floor, his kind yet slightly authoritative gaze falling upon Lucy, and the Guild's noise quieted a few notches.
Makarov stood on the steps, "A Heartfilia child?"
Lucy subconsciously looked up at the sound, the old man's kind smile immediately making her feel at ease, and she quickly nodded in affirmation.
Makarov smiled, then flipped onto the bar, raising his glass: "To our new member, Lucy Heartfilia, cheers! Let the welcome party begin!"
"Cheers!" the entire Guild shouted in unison, the clinking of glasses crisp and pleasant.
The welcome party lasted all afternoon. The Guild was filled with laughter and joy.
Around two in the afternoon, the crowd gradually began to disperse.
Levy-chan took Lucy's hand: "Come on, I'll take you to find a place to live! Magnolia has a lot of nice apartments."
"That's great!" Lucy's eyes lit up. "I was just worrying about that."
They said goodbye to the Guild members.
Ezreal walked over: "Need help with your luggage?"
Lucy shook her head: "Thanks, I didn't bring much this trip; I was planning on having my butler mail it later. I don't have anything heavy for now."
"See you tomorrow then," Ezreal said with a smile. "Welcome to officially becoming a member of Fairy Tail."
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the cobblestone path.
Lucy and Levy-chan strolled through the streets of Magnolia, a gentle breeze carrying the faint scent of flowers.
"This city is so beautiful," Lucy took a deep breath. "It's even better than I imagined."
Levy-chan smiled and nodded: "Once you're settled, I'll take you on a proper tour. Oh, by the way, do you have any requirements for your accommodation?"
Lucy thought for a moment: "Preferably somewhere quiet, with enough space for my books and Celestial Spirit keys. Price isn't an issue."
Levy-chan winked slyly: "As expected of a Heartfilia young lady. But don't worry, prices in Magnolia are very reasonable, not as exaggerated as in the capital."
They walked through a few streets, and Levy-chan occasionally pointed out shops along the way: "This bakery has the best strawberry cake in the city... The owner of that clothing store over there is Wakaba's wife, a Guild member... The weapon shop around the corner can customize magic tools..."
Lucy carefully noted each location; these would all become part of her new life.
"Here we are," Levy-chan stopped in front of a three-story brick-red building. "This is one of the best apartments in the city. The landlady is a retired Mage and offers discounts to Guild members."
The apartment had a quaint and elegant appearance, with windowsills full of blooming flowers.
Lucy instantly fell in love with the place.
Levy-chan rang the doorbell, and a silver-haired old lady opened the door, a kind smile on her face: "Ah, Levy-chan! Is this the new friend you told me about?"
"Yes, Mrs. Hannah. This is Lucy Heartfilia, who just joined Fairy Tail today."
Mrs. Hannah warmly took Lucy's hand: "Welcome, my dear. My husband was also a Guild member in his lifetime, and he was always especially Happy to see young people join. Come, I'll show you the empty rooms."
The interior of the apartment was even more exquisite than its exterior. The wooden staircase was polished to a shine, and the walls were adorned with magical paintings left by previous tenants, changing patterns as they passed.
"There's a south-facing suite on the third floor that's empty," Mrs. Hannah said as they went upstairs. "It gets plenty of sunlight, has a great view, and you can see all of Magnolia."
She pushed open a white door, and Lucy's eyes immediately lit up.
A spacious living room, bright floor-to-ceiling windows, a separate bedroom and study, and even a small balcony.
The furniture was simple but of high quality, and there was ample wall space reserved for paintings or bookshelves.
"It's perfect!" Lucy couldn't help but exclaim.
Levy-chan smiled proudly: "I knew you'd like it."
Mrs. Hannah looked at them kindly: "You two look around first; I'll go prepare some tea and snacks. Call me anytime if you have any questions."
After the landlady left, Lucy excitedly spun around: "This is so much better than I imagined! The study is perfect for my Celestial Spirit research materials, and the balcony is big enough for a small table..."
"And it's only a fifteen-minute walk from the Guild," Levy-chan added. "The nearby market and shops are all very well-stocked."
Lucy walked to the window, and the panoramic view of Magnolia unfolded before her eyes. In the distance, the roof of the Fairy Tail Guild glittered in the sunlight, and further beyond were rolling mountains and forests.
"This is it," Lucy said firmly. "I'm going to rent it."
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